Biographical Sketches

CLYDE EDWARD PANGBORN

Born: October 28, 1895    In: Bridgeport, WA
Died: March 29, 1958    

As Pangborn and Herndon were waiting out the bad weather, they came up with another record setting option. At that time, a Japanese newspaper was offering a $25,000 prize to whomever made the first non-stop flight between Japan and the United States (Post and Gatty had stopped off in Alaska during their flight). Focusing on their new plan, Pangborn and Herndon set out for Japan.

Once again, the former barnstormers ran into trouble. Because of a miscommunication between American and Japanese officials, Pangborn and Herndon did not have permission to fly over Japan. This caused serious problems, especially when coupled with the fact that Herndon had taken some photographs of the Japanese countryside, including, unintentionally, some military installations. When the two men landed, Japanese authorities arrested them on charges of espionage. Although the Japanese government detained them for several weeks, the U.S. Embassy successfully intervened on their behalf, and Pangborn and Herndon stood ready to attempt the record.

A few days before take off, Pangborn, who had grown concerned about the plane’s limited fuel supply, developed a plan to reduce the aircraft’s weight and thereby increase its range. He rigged a device so that he could jettison the plane’s landing gear shortly after lift off. He calculated that the aircraft would travel approximately 600 miles (966 kilometers) farther without the gear. While many feared that Pangborn would be unable to land safely without wheels, he felt confident that he could "belly land" the plane intact.

On the morning of October 4 (Japanese time), Pangborn and Herndon took off from Samishiro Beach, Japan, in route to Washington state. Like on some of their other flights, the two men ran into trouble quickly. Although Pang jettisoned the landing gear, two of the gear’s struts remained behind. Pangborn, realizing that they could not land safely with the struts still attached, performed one of his old barnstorming feats to remedy the situation. Approximately 14,000 feet (7,267 meters) above the Pacific, Pangborn climbed out onto his plane’s wing, and in freezing weather and 100-mile per hour (161-kilometer per hour) winds, loosened the remaining struts.

Despite their in-flight challenge, Pangborn and Herndon persevered and brought their plane in for a successful belly landing at Wenatchee, Washington, on October 5, after a journey of some 4,500 miles (7,242 kilometers). They had made their record setting trip in 41 hours, 13 minutes (although some sources cite 15 minutes).

After his trans-Pacific flight, Pangborn took on a variety of challenges but few could compare with his record setting journey. In 1932 Pangborn went to work for Clarence D. Chamberlin in New York City, but in less than a year he had left that venture and was selling Fairchild Aircraft Company airplanes in South America. In 1934, he and Roscoe Turner, a famous air racer and aviation advocate, flew a modified Boeing 247D--a revolutionary, twin-engine, all-metal monoplane than helped bring about the airline revolution of the 1930s--from London to Australia in the MacRobertson Race. They left on October 20, and landed only 92 hours, 55 minutes, and 38 seconds later in Melbourne after flying 11,325 miles (18,226 kilometers). Even so, they finished second in the race, following closely behind the record-setting De Havilland "Comet."

Beginning in 1935, Pangborn became a test pilot and worked for several aircraft companies. Among other ventures, he recruited American fliers for the Royal Air Force (RAF), helping them violate the Neutrality Laws by getting them into Canada where they could legally enlist to fight the Nazis alongside the British. Several members of the RAF’s Eagle Squadron, the unit made up of Americans that fought in the Battle of Britain, were recruited by Pangborn. He also joined the RAF Ferry Command and was instrumental in helping organize the effort to ferry aircraft and air weapons across the Atlantic to Britain in 1940 and 1941. During the conflict, he delivered more than 170 airplanes to the Allies and also served with the U.S. military when it entered the war. After the war, Pangborn returned to his life as a test pilot. On March 29, 1958, Pangborn died. He received a burial in Arlington National Cemetery with military honors.

Pangborn amassed an impressive set of aviation credentials and accomplishments during his life. In addition to all of his barnstorming feats, and his trans-Pacific flight, Pangborn was licensed to fly a wide variety of planes, including most single- and multiengine aircraft, and even seaplanes. He also compiled more than 24,000 hours of flight time during his career and never lost a plane or injured a passenger.

Pangborn’s career was similar to that of many other second-tier fliers of his generation. He was able to make a life flying but never on the scale of a Charles A. Lindbergh or an Eddie Rickenbacker. He was a capable airman, recognized as such both by the public and his fellow aviators. The record-setting flights he made between 1931 and 1934 were highlights of his career, but his service in 1940 and 1941 on behalf of the British opposing Nazi Germany may have been his greatest contribution. (David H. Onkst)

REFERENCES:
Caidin, Martin. Barnstorming. New York: Bantam Books, 1991.
Cleveland, Carl M. "Upside-Down" Pangborn: King of the Barnstormers. Glendale, Cal.: Aviation Book Company, 1978.
Dwiggins, Don. The Barnstormers: Flying Daredevils of the Roaring Twenties. New York: Grosset and Dunlap, 1968.
Gwynn-Jones, Terry. Farther and Faster: Aviation’s Adventuring Years, 1909-1939. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1991.
Nevin, David. The Pathfinders. Alexandria, Va.: Time-Life Books, 1980.
O’Neil, Paul. Barnstormers and Speed Kings. Alexandria, Va.: Time-Life Books, 1981.
Roseberry, Cecil R. The Challenging Skies: The Colorful Story of Aviation’s Most Exciting Years, 1919-1939. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1966.
"Clyde Edward Pangborn." Aircraft Safety and Suppressed Technology.
"Clyde Edward Pangborn." National Aviation Hall of Fame.
"Clyde Edward Pangborn." Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Cente
"Clyde Edward Pangborn Papers, 1918-1958." Washington State University Libraries.
"Clyde Pangborn’s Historic Flight." Pangborn Memorial Airport.
"The Flight." Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center.
Hatcher, Candy. "On a Mission to Repeat History." Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
"Pangborn Exhibit" Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center.
"Spirit of Wenatchee." Pangborn Memorial Airport.

Denotes an individual known to have soloed an aircraft prior to December 16, 1917, whether they were members of the "Early Birds of Aviation" Organization or not.